Trousers-stretcher.



E. N. HALLETTe TROUSERS STRETGHER, APPLwATIo-N FILED JAN. '1, 1909.

lailelliledv NOV. 9s 1909.

ANDREW a. GRAHAM Cow Pwmmmmmm, wAsmxmcN, l1 Q UNirnD sfrafrus rirnnrermee.

EDWARD N. HALLETT, or bANTo'N, rENNsYLvANIA.

TROUSERS-STRETCHER.

Specification of lLetters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Application filed January 7, 1909. Serial No. 471,106.

My invention relates to trousers stretchers,

and has for its object to provide one which may be folded so that it maybe packed for the convenience of travelers, the side bars havingrecesses in which the stretcher members are pivoted, a central rod beingprovided, which has means by which it is adapted for operating thestretcher members, which have means for limiting their movement awayfrom the side bars.

Still other objects of the invention will appear in the followingcomplete description.

In this specification I will describe the preferred form of myinvention, but itwill be understood that I do not limit myself thereto,as I consider myself entitled to all forms and embodiments of theinvention which may be held to fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding` parts in all the figures, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the invention showing the trousers leg broken away and insection; Fig. 2 is a similar view with the upper stretcher membersdisposed substantially at right-angles to the side bars; Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing not only the Lipper but also the lower stretchermembers disposed substantially at right-angles to the sidebars; Fig. tis al view of one of the side bars in a folded position; and Eig. 5 is asectional view on the line 5 5 of Eig. 1, with the stretcher disposed inthe recess in the side bar.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that side bars 10 and 11are provided, the side bar 10 being substantially straight, to bedisposed along the front of the trousers leg and the side bar 11 beingcurved, to be disposed along the rear of the trousers leg. Each of theside bars has a pointed outer edge 12, which is adapted to press againstthe inner side of the trousers leg, in the crease, to keep the trousersin shape.

Iii order to construct the trousers stretcher, so that it may be easilyfolded for shipment, I construct each of the side bars in two sections,which are joined by links 13, pivoted in recesses 14C in adjoining edgesof the side bars, the adjoining edges 15 being cut obliquely, and thelinks 13 being so secured that frictional contact between the adjoiningedges will hold the sections of the side bars in position when they areextended. In longitudinal recesses 16, which are disposed iiear theupper terminals of the side bars and near their lower terminalsrespectively, aie pivoted stretcher members 17 the two stretcher members17 being disposed are pivoted near the lower ends of the lower set ofrecesses 16. Each of the stretcher members 17 has an elbow 18 disposedsubstantially at riglit-angles to the stretcher member at its innerterminal, the elbows 18 on the lower set of stretcher members 17 beingdisposed downwardly andthe elbows 18 on the upper set of stretchermembers 17 being disposed upwardly, the elbows 18 being adapted tolieagainst the inner faces of the recesses 16 when the stretcher members17 are outwardly disposed from the side bars. In the outer terminals ofeach of the stretcher members 17 there are a plurality of orifices 19,the stretcher members in each set being adapted to lap each other, sothat one of the orifices 19 in one of the stretcher members 17 will bein alineinent with an ori- "fice 19 in the other and opposite stretchermember 17. In alining orifices 19 in the lower set of stretcher members17 is disposed the bent terminal 2O on an operating rod 21, saidterminal forming a pivot for vthe lower set of stretcher members 17. A

pivot having an eye 22 is disposed in the oritices 19 in the upper setof stretcher mem- 17 may be adjusted to fit the leg of the trouserswhich are to be stretched. When the adjustment has been ascertained, thelower terminal of the operating rod 21 1s disposed in the orifices 19 inthe lower stretcher members 17, which will produce the desired movementof the side bars 1 0 and 11, and the pivot having the eye 22 1s thendisposed in the orifices 19 in the upper set of stretcher members 17,which will produce the desired movement of the side bars 10 and 11. Theoperating rod, which is disposed in the eye 22, is in position foroperation and when the stretcher is disposed in the trousers leg, bypushing the operating rod 21 downwardly the lower stretcher members 17will be moved to a position substantially at right-angles to the sidebars 10 and 11, in which position they will be held, as the elbows 18will prevent them from moving farther downward. The upper stretchermembers 17 are then drawn upwardly, so that they may be engaged by thehool 2-l on the operating rod 21, and in this position the side bars 10and 11 are held outwardly against the inner sides of the trousers leg,the pointed edges 12 of the side bars being held in the creases. lVhendesired the trousers stretcher may be inserted in the leg and the upperset of stretcher members 17 be drawn to a position substantiallyatright-angles to the side bars 10 and 11, after which, by pushing theoperating rod 21 downwardly, the lower stretcher member 17 may be movedto a position substantially at right-angles to the side bars, when thehook 24 may be adjusted on the upper stretcher members 17. lVhen mytrousers stretcher has been adjusted to a particular pair of trousers,it will not have to be readjusted, as the parts will assume the sameposition every time the trousers stretcher is used for that particular'pair of trousers. The operating rod is preferably constructed insections, which are joined together by a union member 25.

Having thus described my invention, claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent:

1. In a trousers stretcher, oppositely disposed side bars, two pairs ofstretcher members pivoted to said side bars, an operating rod, pivotsconnecting the pairs of stretcher members respectively, one of thepivots being secured to the rod near one of its terminals, and the otherpivot having a sliding engagement with the rod, means in connection withone pair of stretcher members and the side bars for limiting themovement of said pair of stretcher members to a predetermined extendedposition from the side bars respectively, the rod being looped to forman eye, by which it may be hung up,

the other terminal of the rod having a hoolr which engages the stretchermembers which are connected by the pivot, with which the rod has asliding engagement.

2. In a trousers stretcher, oppositely disposed, divided side bars, theabutting ends of which are cut obliquely respectively, there beingrecesses in the adjoining ends of the side bars respectively, linkspivoted in the recesses, by which the side bars are united respectively,two pairs of stretcher members pivoted to the side bars, an operatingrod, pivots connecting the pairs of stretcher members respectively, oneof the pivots being secured to the operating rod near one of itsterminals, 'and the other pivot having a sliding engagement with theoperating rod, means for limiting' the movement of one pair of pivotedstretcher members to a predetermined position relatively to said sidebars respectively, the rod being looped to form an eye, by which it maybe hung up, the other terminal of the rod having a hook which engagesthe stretcher members which are connected by the pivot, with which therod has a sliding engagement.

3. In a trousers stretcher, oppositely disposed side bars, two pairs ofstretcher members pivoted to said side bars, an operating rod, pivotsconnecting the pairs of stretcher members respectively, one of thepivots being secured to the rod near one of its terminals, and the otherpivot having a sliding engagement with the rod, and means in connectionwith the stretcher members and the side bars for limiting the movementof the upper stretcher members upwardly and the lower stretcher membersdownwardly, the rod being looped to form an eye by which it may be hungup, the other terminal oi. the rod having a hook which engages thestretcher members which are connected by Y' EDWARD N. HALLETT.

Witnesses:

EDWARD W. HALLETT, CHARLES A. STINsoN.

